BARMM police director held for syndicated estafa

Cotabato City, Philippines — Agents of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested on Wednesday night the director of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) police for two counts of syndicated estafa.

Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon did not resist when CIDG personnel served the arrest warrants at the headquarters of the BARMM police in Parang, Maguindanao del Sur.

The warrants were issued by Regional Trial Court Branches 104 and 91, both in Quezon City, and signed by Judges Catherine Manodon and Kathleen Rosario Espinosa, respectively.

No bail was recommended.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. relieved Guyguyon as BARMM chief effective March 29.

Brig. Gen. Gil Francis Tria was named acting regional police director.

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the complaints stemmed from those filed against a financing company of which Guyguyon was among the incorporators.

“Meron lupa na dapat bibilhin itong mga complainants na ito at through this company kung saan isa po sa incorporators si General Guyguyon ay supposedly mag-po-provide ng loan sa kanila,” Fajardo told a news briefing.

She said Guyguyon was not informed about the preliminary investigation on the complaint so the police general was not able to present his side.

“He did not receive any summons so that he could answer the allegations, which prompted the prosecutor to file this case and the court to issue a warrant of arrest,” Fajardo said. —  Emmanuel Tupas